Leiko: Tales of a Bounty Hunter
by Quijotesca
Summary: Pull up a chair and listen to Leiko Mouko's ongoing stories about life as a female bounty hunter who faithfully serves Aku
1. Author's Introduction PART OF THE STORY

**Author's Introduction  
By Laura McDaniel**

****

  
For a while now, I've been following the story a man known only as Samurai Jack. From what I've gathered, Jack fought Aku in the past, but the demon sent him ahead in time. (As for how _I_ got to this time: I wrote myself in!) Now, Jack is trying to get back to his own time to undo the damage Aku has done.  
  
On his journey, Jack has met many different foes. Among them are bounty hunters intent on collecting the two googolplex Aku has placed on his head. Most of these hunters act independently, but I'd heard that some of them report directly to Aku himself. I really know little more about these individuals, and for the longest time, I didn't _want _to. However, morbid curiosity made me wonder more about those people: What drives them?  Is the money or something deeper?   
  
That curiosity finally took over me the other night. I dressed myself in a hooded black cloak and went to one of the local bars where such shady characters sometimes hang out, hoping that one of them would talk to me. Of course, not everyone there had malicious intent, so I had to do my best to appear objective.  
  
I sat at the bar for a couple of hours but, much to the disappointment of the bartender, I drank nothing but water. I nodded a greeting to just about every one who came in, but nobody responded or seemed to acknowledge me in the least. I was beginning to think I should just get up and leave because the smoke that filled the room was starting to irritate my eyes, but then she arrived.  
  
The woman was tall and fierce looking. She had short black hair that was marked with blood-red streaks and there was a red flame-shaped marking around each eye. In addition, her top lip was also deep red while the bottom was painted black. Her clothes were tight-fitting, which revealed that her figure was somewhat muscular, yet still undoubtedly feminine. She wore a red, short-sleeved shirt and her pants were red with thin black vertical stripes on the outside of her legs and solid black on the inside. On her feet, she wore a pair of shiny black boots. Judging by her appearance and the fact that she had an impressive artillery attached to the black belt she wore around her waist, I assumed she was a bounty hunter that was _very_ loyal to Aku, but I decided not to say anything. She returned my nod and sat next to me but said nothing to me. She just pulled off the black gloves she was wearing and went on to order a drink.  
  
I noticed that most of the woman's exposed flesh was covered with scratches and bruises of all sizes. Some of them even looked fresh. When she noticed me looking at her wounds, she smirked and then proceeded to tell me a bit about herself, not even asking who I was. She said that her name is Leiko Mouko and that she's been a bounty hunter for Aku for several years (but she wouldn't let me know her exact age).   
  
Though I still cannot bring myself to condone her actions or her chosen line of work, I thoroughly enjoyed finally hearing a bounty hunter's insights. Knowing that others would enjoy hearing about her adventures, I decided I would record what she told me that night and that I would find her again in the future to see what other stories she has to tell. Unless otherwise noted, the writing following this introduction is Leiko's exact words.  
  
--LM 


	2. Leiko Speaks

**Leiko: Tales of a Bounty Hunter  
As Told to Laura McDaniel  
  
Leiko Speaks**

  
Greetings, traveler. The name's Leiko Mouko. I couldn't help but notice you were looking at my wounds. Well, I'll tell you how I acquired them as long as you promise not to criticize me or what I do. See, I'm a bounty hunter and I serve mostly the All Powerful Aku, but I will also serve as a mercenary to just about anybody else if the price is right. And don't even ask what a pretty little lady like me is doing with a messy job like this. I've heard it all before! If I'm such a pretty little lady, why on earth did my parents abandon me the first chance they had? They never paid much attention to me, but they weren't able to actually ditch me until I was sixteen. They ran away when Aku destroyed my city. Yep. He burned it to a crisp with his laser vision.  
  
You heard me right. I serve the very being that destroyed my city. Why? Well, that's a bit hard to explain. I caught my first real glimpse of The Great Aku while I was standing there amidst the smoldering rubble of my city.  Unlike all the terrified mortals who were bawling and running away, Lord Aku was towering over the scene and _laughing _at us. Once he was certain he had everyone's attention, he shouted, "Fools! While you were making your city great, you thought not of me! Despite the warnings I gave you, you failed to sing my praises or create images in my likeness. You have shunned me, so now I will take some of you to pay the price." Then, he opened his eyes wide, and two beams of light came out of them. The light swallowed up a small group of people standing near one of the flaming buildings. The people then disappeared in to thin air. Lord Aku went on to explain that he was taking those people to The Pit of Hate to learn proper respect for him and that he'd return them once those of us who were left somehow came up with a way to pay tribute to him. Damn, what I wouldn't give have been one of those people! Of course, I guess I really didn't _need _to be sent to The Pit of Hate because his destroying my city was enough to make me understand his power, but none of those people realized just how _lucky _they were!   
  
Everybody else watching screamed when they saw those people disappear, but it didn't matter to me because I knew Aku was right. All the leaders of the other large cities subjected themselves to Lord Aku's rule and made their respect for him quite clear by lining the streets with animated billboards of his likeness. Even the commoners of the other large cities showed their support for Aku by letting him in their homes in the form of such useful products as Aku Soda. My city _never _made such efforts even though Lord Aku had _repeatedly _asked us to do so.   
  
When I realized this, I became angry and ashamed. The way he destroyed my city made it perfectly clear that he possessed power far greater than that of any mere mortal. He _deserved _our respect and admiration! I realized that I _had _to serve him somehow, but I didn't know how. I thought I could help those left in my city to figure out how to pay tribute to Lord Aku, but I just couldn't bring myself to remain with people that had already ignored him for so long. I had to leave there. After all, my parents had already gone who the hell knows where.   
  
I idly kicked at the ground while I tried to figure out what to do. If Lord Aku hadn't have disappeared a few minutes before, I would've asked him what I was supposed to do. I felt something near one of my feet, and, thinking it was a rock, I kicked it. But it wouldn't budge. I looked down and noticed it was a slightly cracked digital wanted poster of somebody The All Powerful Aku wanted terminated. My eyes widened with realization as I picked up the poster. It was too cracked for me to recognize the face, but it didn't matter because I knew it was a sign from Lord Aku. I hugged it to my chest and thanked him for showing me the way. It was clear that he wanted me to be a bounty hunter and to help him eradicate all the pests that troubled him. I tossed the poster behind me and ran away from there. I stole a gun from a town I passed on the way and I've been on the road ever since.  
  
So, that's how it started. And no, I don't have any regrets, nor do I consider myself heartless. If anything, I do my victims a service. It's a lot less painful if they die by my bullets or by a few quick stabs of my dagger than under one of Aku's torturous methods. I think I'm pretty good at what I do, too, but Lord Aku doesn't seem to have faith in me. He's always giving me difficult missions just so he can laugh at my failure. He keeps on sending me after that Jack guy, and _nobody, _not even the most experienced hunters, has been able to get him, dead or alive. Well, _I'm _gonna get him some day. Maybe Aku will give me a little respect then!  
  
Look, I don't really want to sit here and chat, but if you're really interested, I guess I could tell you about my previous missions. Better yet, how about I start off by you about the first time I spoke to Lord Aku himself?  



	3. Off to See the Wizard

**Leiko: Tales of a Bounty Hunter  
As Told to Laura McDaniel  
  
Off to See the Wizard**

It was kind of funny suddenly being out on the road like that. Having been ignored by my parents for most of my life, I'd already gotten the hang of stealing just about anything I wanted and I knew exactly how to get myself out of trouble if I was caught, so tending to my needs was no problem. It was just that I really didn't know what a bounty hunter was supposed to do. OK...so I'd seen those posters all over the place, but that really didn't help me much. I mean, surely not all of The All Powerful Aku's targets appeared on those posters, so that wouldn't help much if I was wandering around and I passed some guy Aku wanted killed or captured but I didn't know he was wanted. I was really worried about letting Aku down, so I sure as hell didn't want any opportunities to slip through my fingers. Heh...while just about every other hunter out there was worried about how much money they were gonna get paid, I was more concerned about what Aku thought. Pathetic, huh? But, that's the way I was. I was so paranoid about pleasing Lord Aku that I finally decided the best thing to do was pay him a visit. But where the hell was I supposed to find him?  
  
Even though I was determined to make it on my own, I figured I that I should see if I could find any other hunters who would be willing to point me in the right direction. So, I kept walking for days, stopping only to sleep the few times I actually felt like it, until I got to another big city. Ah, it was the kind of city Lord Aku would like, with the shiny billboards and everything, so I didn't feel bad being there. But, much as I wanted to admire Aku's spectacular face, I reminded myself that I actually had more important things to do than just admire him. So, I started searching the dirty streets for some place some other bounty hunters. I was young, so I guess I was a bit naïve. It never once hit me to check a bar or any stereotypical place like that. I just kept walking and walking until I came to a wall with lots of those posters hanging on it. I saw some guys standing around looking at them so I walked up and asked, "So, are you guys bounty hunters?"  
  
They all turned around and looked at me funny, like I was from another planet or something "What's it to ya, little lady?"  
  
Damn, I hate it when people call me that! I kicked the guy square in the balls and he screamed like...well...a girl. It was funny as hell, but I managed to keep myself from laughing and maintained a determined expression on my face.  
  
"I dun think she liked being called that!" another one of the men laughed.  
  
"Shut the fuck up!" the man I'd kicked demanded, smacking the other guy in the face. He then turned back to me and asked, "Look, ya gonna answer my question?"  
  
"Well," I said, "I wanna be a bounty hunter myself."  
  
All of the men gathered around the posters burst out laughing.  
  
"What's so funny?" I demanded.  
  
"It's just that, well, a lot of these targets are pretty tough, ya know," another man remarked, pointing to the wanted posters."  
  
"So?"  
  
"Well...It's just that...I dun think _yer _very tough!"  
  
I spat and got ready to punch the guy. "Why you...!"  
  
"Easy there!" the first man said, grabbing my fist before I could land a decent punch. "OK, so yer tough 'n all, but are ya tough enough?"  
  
I quickly pulled my hand free and crossed my arms. "Only one way to know," I said, smiling some.  
  
"Eh, guess yer right."  
  
"So, can ya help me get started?"  
  
"I dun know 'sactly what ya want me ta do, but if it'll keep ya from punchin' me again, guess I could talk to ya for a bit."  
  
"Great!"  
  
He turned around to the other men and said, "Look, boys, I'm gonna talk to this litt...err…this girl for a bit."  
  
"But what for?" another man protested.  
  
"It's none of yer fuckin' business what I do," he growled.  
  
"Yes, boss," the other man gulped.  
  
"Good. Now stay right here 'n I'll be back." He turned around and led me down the streets a bit. We just walked along and talked some. Not very exciting. "So," he said after a while, "my name is Theron Philaimatos, 'n I'm a leader of a small group of hunters. There ain't many of us now, but we've got a pretty good reputation. If yer so determined to be a bounty hunter, would ya like to join us...um...what's yer name?"  
  
"Leiko," I replied, "Leiko Mouko. And no. I will not serve any mortal."  
  
"Then...who're you gonna serve?"  
  
"The All Powerful Aku himself!"  
  
"Aku, huh?" Theron laughed. "Good one!"  
  
"I'm serious!"  
  
"But, why'd ya do a thing like that? Sure, he pays good, 'n we always take our kills 'n captives to him, but he's not th' sort I'd want to report to on a reg'lar basis."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Ya ever actually _seen _Aku?"  
  
"Of course. He burnt down my city a few days ago."  
  
"And now ya want ta _serve _'im?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
Theron shook his head, "Yer one strange little lady!"  
  
I spun around on my heels and looked directly into his eyes. "WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?" I yelled.  
  
"Ya know what I said!" Theron snickered. "Why d'ya hate bein' called that so much?"  
  
"Why do you like saying that so much?" I sneered.  
  
"Good question."  
  
I suddenly stopped walking and leaned against the wall of one of the buildings we past. I glared at Theron, and said, "But let's not get into that now, OK? Just tell me where to find Lord Aku! That's all I want!"  
  
"OK, OK!" Theron said. "'is castle is anchored in this city somewhere, I think."  
  
I didn't like his lack of confidence, but I decided not to say anything. I just wanted to see Aku!  
  
Finally, I caught sight of a spider-shaped building amidst the skyscrapers. "Ah, there it is," Theron said.  
  
"Lord Aku's castle, you mean?" I asked in utter disbelief.  
  
Theron rolled his eyes. "Noooo...it's a laundromat!" he sarcastically replied. "Yes, 'course it's Aku's castle!" Then, he muttered, "'o else would live in somethin' that ugly?"  
  
"I heard that!" I snapped.  
  
"Oh, ya did?" Theron said, blushing slightly. "Just don't tell Aku I said that, OK? We're not on great terms as it is, but I don't want ta talk about that. Let's just get this over with."   
  
By this time, we were right next to the castle. My heart started thumping rapidly while we walked up to it. And my legs started shaking so damn much that I thought I'd fall over. I just stood there and stared at the building. I must've looked like a fucking idiot because Theron said, "Um...ya ain't gonna find Aku out here. We c'n go in, ya know."  
  
"Uh...right." I walked up to the doorway, which consisted of a glowing portal. I stepped into the light and then it felt like I was zapped with several volts of electricity. Next thing I knew, I was standing in a room that seemed entirely built out of flames. There was a big pit in the middle that I thought about walking up to, but the electricity had stunned my movement. Or at least it seemed it had.  
  
Theron appeared next to me in another second. Unlike me, he didn't have any trouble moving. He took one look at me and snickered, "Ya get used to it." Then, he walked up to the pit and rudely called, "Yo, Aku, I wanna talk to ya for a minute!  
  
I wanted to tell Theron to be more respectful to Lord Aku, but before I got a chance, a shadowy black mass began to rise from the pit. I must've finally gotten over my immobility because then, I started shaking up a storm! It took me a minute to crane my neck high enough to see what the mass was, but then I clearly saw the face of the All Powerful Aku himself. It was amazing. Damn, I wish I could come up with the word I was looking for, but "amazing" is all I can come up with.  
  
Anyway, Lord Aku wasn't very happy about being addressed that way, but why the hell should he have been? He glared at Theron and roared, "Theron, you are really trying my patience! The next time you do that, I will cast you into The Pit of Hate."  
  
"Ya keep on sayin' that, Aku," Theron calmly replied. "But ya never do."  
  
"Well, today just might be your lucky day!" Lord Aku grumbled. "But first, tell me what you have brought me."  
  
"Well, Aku, this is gonna sound silly, but I haven't brought onna yer intended targets. 'stead, I brought ya a recruit."  
  
"A recruit? Of what sort?"   
  
"She wants ta serve ya as a bounty hunter." I still wouldn't move. "Um...that's yer cue, Leiko!" he snapped, nudging me forward.  
  
"Oh...um...yes!" I said, stepping closer to the pit.  
  
"She seems so confident!" Aku snickered.  
  
"I am sorry, Lord Aku. It's just that I've been traveling for days  simply to meet you, and now that I have, I don't know how to respond." I was finally able to stop shaking, but I still felt pretty dumb.  
  
"Hmm..." Aku said, scratching his beard as he lowered himself to look at me. "Well, the deference you show me is indisputably commendable." He glared at Theron and added, "That is a trait that is sometimes difficult to find in a bounty hunter. Most hunters are just plain crude."  
  
Theron snickered, "Well, I just now met Leiko, but lemme tell you, she ain't a softy."  
  
"Oh?" He turned himself into a small lizard of some sort and crawled up my shoulder. I hate to say this, but I really didn't like the way that felt. I'd really rather admire Lord Aku from afar than having him crawl all over me, but I know damn well that he can do whatever the hell he wants. Anyway, he glanced at the small handgun I had stolen and commented, "Well, that isn't the most formidable of weapons, but I can take care of that. Tell me, how is your aim?"  
  
"Yeah, I know it's not that impressive," I said with a shrug, "but I thought it'd work for the time being. Besides, I stole it and stealing anything larger would've been more difficult. As for my aim, well, not to brag, but I'm pretty damn good. I used to go shoot birds with some of the boys in my city. I was better than all of 'em!"  
  
"Oh really? Care to demonstrate?" Lord Aku jumped off me and landed in the pit, where he returned to his normal shape. Then, he placed the fingertips of both hands together, and when he separated them, a series of four cutouts resembling silhouettes of people with targets where their hearts would be appeared. "I am certain you can figure out what to do," Aku said.  
  
I nodded and took out my gun. I skillfully held it and fired four bullets at the cutouts, each one landing on the intended target. Once I was done, I smiled and spun the gun around one of my fingers.  
  
"Impressive," Lord Aku commented. "Can you hit the targets if they are moving?" He snapped his fingers and the cutouts rose into the air and started flying rapidly in front of me.  
  
I didn't shoot right away 'cause I had to carefully track the course of each cutout. Once I had the pattern down, I fired at the targets and once again hit each one right where I was 'sposed to, taking just four shots.  
  
"You are definitely a good marksman. But, you do realize it takes more than that to serve as a bounty hunter for The All Powerful Aku."  
  
"I know," I said, returning the gun to its holster. "But I'm ready to do for you what I must, My Lord."  
  
Aku smiled toothily and rubbed at his beard in thought. I really didn't like the look in his eyes because I could tell he was planning something terrible. But, I did tell him that I was willing to do whatever he asked. At last, he lowered himself to look at me and said, "Very well, Leiko. I think you will be a good addition to my elite team of bounty hunters. However, I want you to pass a little test first."  
  
"I will do whatever you ask of me."  
  
He turned to Theron and pointed to him with one of his skeletal fingers. "This is not the first time you have disrespected me, Theron, and the time has come for you to be punished. I will not be sending you to The Pit of Hate, however. I will instead make you Leiko's first intended target." Theron started shaking even worse than I had. What a wuss! Lord Aku zapped him with his laser vision and then he disappeared. Lord Aku turned back to me and said, "OK, Leiko, I have sent that miserable excuse for a bounty hunter to a location that I will send you to as well once you've made all the necessary preparations. I want you to bring him back to me dead or alive."  
  
"I shall do as you ask," I replied, no fear in my voice at all. I'd been longing to make Theron suffer the entire time, so I was actually looking forward to it. "But...what preparations are you speaking of?"  
  
Aku turned to a bat and flew to one of the lair's walls. He blew at it and a cave entrance appeared. "In that room, I have provided you with a selection of more powerful weaponry and other such equipment you may want to use on this mission. I will gladly get you whatever else you want, but not until you have proven yourself worthy with what I have provided now."  
  
Look, I'd like to tell you more, but I'm kind of tired now. I had a rough day. But, Lord Aku granted me tomorrow off, so I'll tell you about my hunt for Theron then. Come back here any time tomorrow and I'll probably be here, OK? OK? Damn, you aren't the talkative type, are you? Well, I'm going now.  
  
_[Author's Note: At this point, Leiko paid the bartender for her drink and then left the bar. I have no idea where she went after that, even though I tried following her out. Curious about what sort of thoughts run through her mind when she's on the hunt, I decided I would indeed return the following day to hear about her first mission__.]_  
  



	4. First Kill

**Leiko: Tales of a Bounty Hunter  
As Told to Laura McDaniel  
  
First Kill  
  
**

_[Author's Note: When I returned home from the bar that night, Leiko's words were still fresh in my mind, so I had no problem writing down what she had told me. However, to be safe, when I returned to meet her the following afternoon, I carried a small audio recording device in a pocket of my hooded black cloak. Even though I was genuinely interested in hearing what the woman had to say, I felt a bit uneasy around her, which is why I still wanted to keep myself hidden.  
  
I found Leiko sitting on stool at the bar, staring idly into space. This time, she was wearing a solid red bodysuit and the only weapons she had hanging from her black belt was a double-barreled shotgun and a scabbard holding what appeared to be a dagger. She had told me that Aku had given her that day off, so I assumed that was the only weaponry she carried when she was off duty. I turned on the audio recording device and then sat on the empty stool to her left. She shot a rather irate glance at me before she started talking.]_  
  
Oh, so _now _you show up? I've spent the entire fucking morning waiting for you, you know. Of course, I don't know why the hell I bothered. I must've been pretty drunk when I started talking to you last night, but I came 'cause I _did _say I'd be here and 'cause I don't have anything better to do. I really hate days like this, you know.  
  
Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah, I was telling you about how I first got started bein' a bounty hunter. I think I left off right when Lord Aku told me to get that Theron guy. Well, since it seems you're not gonna talk, I guess I'll just have to start there.  
  
Like I think I mentioned, Lord Aku opened a cave entrance in one side of his lair and told me to go pick out which weapons I wanted to use when I was hunting Theron. I don't really remember what I took because I really had no idea what any of that crap was at the time. Well, sure, I've learned tools of the trade since then, but at the time, I was pretty clueless 'cause I'd only used a few handguns and hunting rifles before. But, I remember I took a couple of guns and a rather sturdy dagger with Aku's head carved in the handle. Heh. I thought it was pretty cool. I still carry it, actually. Wanna see?  
  
_[Author's Note: Without thinking, I nodded in reply to the question. However, when she reached for her scabbard to pull out the knife, it suddenly occurred to me that she might have actually meant that as a euphemism for killing me! My hands started shaking for a moment, but I managed to keep them still when she handed the dagger to me. I could tell she sensed my apprehension, though, because she smirked.  
  
I took the dagger and turned it over in my hands, careful not to touch its sharp blade, which appeared to be about 12 inches in length. The handle was made of a black stone that I could not identify and it was intricately carved with the head of Aku. His eyes were made from two tiny red crystals that looked like the same gems Aku's slaves were constantly mining. The style was somewhat primitive, indicating that it had probably been carved ages before Leiko got her hands on it. I would have liked to keep it long enough to have some experienced archeologists examine it (perhaps those dogs I'd heard about), but I could tell that Leiko really wanted her dagger back, so I handed it back to her, not saying a word.]_  
  
Impressive, isn't it? Lord Aku told me it was carved many years ago, back when he first reemerged from the darkness and first began his reign. It was hand-carved by some of his first slaves. He said that the slaves that mined the jewels the dagger's eyes are made of might've been mined by the royal family of the first country he took over, but he can't say for sure because he wasn't responsible for keeping track of all of them. Still, I say the possibility is damn impressive! It just shows how powerful Lord Aku really is.   
  
_[Author's Note: I thought that piece of information was interesting as well. Could Jack's own family have mined the gems?]  
_  
Anyway, back to the story. As soon as I chose my gear, I went back outside the cave, stood before Lord Aku and said, "I'm ready."  
  
"Are you certain?" he asked. "Theron might be ignorant and disrespectful, but I am certain he will be able to put up a fight."

"I'm ready to take whatever the hell he gives me. I don't really like that guy."  
  
"Oh? Did he give you a hard time as well?"  
  
"Yeah...He kept on calling me 'little lady' and crap. I just _hate _it when people talk to me like that! I am _not _a little lady!"  
  
Lord Aku grinned such a grin that he only grins when he's thinking terribly evil thoughts. I'd describe it better if I could, but I just get the chills _thinking _about it, so I'll just leave it at that. Still, you'd know it if you saw it. And then he said, "Well, you have left that decision in the hands of the all-powerful AKU!" and started laughing in that evil way he does.  
  
He just laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed and the sound echoed so damn much that the rocky ground beneath me began to shake. Next thing I knew, I started sinking through the floor! I looked up at Lord Aku with what he later told me was one of the most pathetic expressions he'd ever seen. I thought he'd just thrown me into The Pit of Hate! However, I was quite relieved when I touched down in a forest clearing. I heard Lord Aku's voice in my head, like telepathy or something, and he said, "This is where you must search for Theron." I thought it was no big deal and would be remarkably simple. After all, I had gone hunting on numerous occasions because I had to feed myself somehow when my damn irresponsible parents wouldn't and I usually hunted in a forest near my city. However, Aku's voice spoke again, saying, "Now, let us heat things up a bit!" A ball of flames appeared in front of me and then started floating around the forest, setting many of the trees on fire. "Good luck...little lady!" Aku's voice called. Then, I heard that laughter again. Damn, that was scary! But I knew what I had to do. I had to put that Theron jerk out of his misery and please Lord Aku.   
  
I left the place where I'd been standing after carefully scanning the area and finding a safe path through some of the trees. And by safe, I mean _relatively _safe! Flames were leaping everywhere and the smoke stung my eyes so much that I could hardly see where the hell I was going! I walked right into a flaming tree branch but I was lucky enough that just one of my sleeves caught on fire. Don't tell Lord Aku I said this but I damn near cried! It wasn't just the smoke in my eyes, either. I was fucking _scared! _I already told you I was just 16 at the time, so I was really just still a kid and I haven't been scared since!   
  
_[Author's Note: At this point, even though I was intent on being silent in Leiko's presence, I said, "Hmm, is that so?" after which I promptly covered my mouth. I did not speak again, even when she taunted me about it.]_  
  
All right, so you _can _talk! Why don't you say something else, you bitch? Are you questioning me? Are you questioning my competence as a bounty hunter? Hmm? ARE YOU QUESTIONING ME?  
  
_[Author's Note: At this point, she drew her dagger and her yelling seemed to attract the attention of everyone in the room. Apparently uncomfortable about being watched like that or else embarrassed by the way I cowered from her instead of fighting her, she thrust the dagger into the bar in front of her instead of stabbing me. She lowered her voice before speaking to me again, but there was obviously still anger in it.]_  
  
Let that be a warning! I don't know who the hell you are, so I'm not going to hurt you..._this time!_  
  
_[Author's Note: At this point, she returned the dagger to its scabbard and seemed to calm down again]   
_  
I'm sorry about that. I'm just too damn drunk, I guess. Yeah, that's it. I'm too damn drunk. I've been in this goddamn bar all day, waiting for you. I already said that, didn't I? Right. OK...back to the story.  
  
Like I said, one of my sleeves caught on fire, and I won't repeat how I reacted because I regret saying it the first time. Luckily, the fire was small enough that I was able to put it out just by blowing on it. I continued on my way, hoping that Lord Aku didn't somehow see my reaction to that.  
  
I thought I'd have to hunt a while for Theron, but as soon as I got past a few trees, I found myself in a clearing.  
  
And there he was. Curled up like a baby and sobbing his eyes out! All traces of my fear were gone from my mind because it was clear to me that he didn't deserve to live.  
  
"Please don't shoot me!" he pleaded. "Bring me back alive! I'll be yer servant forever if ya take pity on me me!"  
  
"I am not the one you should be trembling before!" I shouted, kicking him firmly in the nose. "You angered Aku. You should beg _his _forgiveness!"  
  
"I will _never _do such a thing!" he bellowed. He looked up at me with the saddest expression on his face, and I could see that blood was beginning to ooze from his nostrils.  
  
"Why ever not?" I asked. I lowered myself to his level and looked into his tear-filled eyes and hissed, "You're _scared _of him, aren't you?" He didn't say anything, so I grinned as I straightened myself up again. "You should be! After all, Lord Aku is the most powerful being in the universe, but that is why he deserves respect and unwavering commitment." Drawing one of my guns, I said, "He obviously dislikes you, but he left your fate in my hands. I plan to deal with you in the best way I know how!" I cocked the trigger while he covered his face with his hands as if that would help him. He was so fucking pathetic that I pitied him! You heard me! And it was far too easy, too. I mean, he just gave himself to me, just like that! I thought about asking him to run to make it more interesting, but I thought that'd be wasting my time. And Lord Aku wouldn't like that. So I thrust the muzzle of my gun against his skull...and FIRED! I was such a goddamn wimp that I turned away while I shot, but it was done. Blood ran from his shattered skull and I could tell that he was no longer breathing. I kicked over his limp carcass and watched the blood ooze from him. And I smiled. Killing that bastard felt so damn good. The only problem was that I didn't know how to get him to Aku. I mean, I'd fallen through the goddamn floor, after all! I placed one of my feet on Theron's lifeless body and called, "AKU! I have done your bidding, my lord!" 


	5. Initiation

**Leiko: Tales of a Bounty Hunter  
As Told to Laura McDaniel  
  
Initiation**

  
_[Author's Note: After telling me of how she'd made her first kill, Leiko let out a satisfied sigh and then took a long swig of her drink. She gazed reflectively into the distance. "What happened after that?" I asked in a raspy voice. This time, she didn't seem surprised by the fact that I'd spoken.]_  
  
What happened then? Well...I was just standing there in that forest for a few seconds, waiting for something to happen, but nothing did. Finally, I muttered, "How the hell do I get out of here?" Suddenly, the, trees stopped burning and a strange hush fell over the area. Again, I found myself in the midst of a dark abyss. I stood there, seriously thinking that Lord Aku had abandoned me because I honestly felt like he should. I mean, the only reputation I had was for being a no good, the kind of person that wouldn't ever amount to anything, and there was no reason that the all-powerful Aku should think otherwise. Suddenly, the ground started shaking and then the ground I stood on turned into Aku's right hand.   
  
He was now sitting on his throne and holding me in his palm. I looked to my side to see that his left hand was holding the bleeding corpse of Theron. I looked up to see that Lord Aku was grinning broadly. "I knew that Theron was a spineless coward!" he grumbled. Aku laughed in that damn creepy way he always does and then locked his eyes on me. "Remember this, Leiko," he boomed, "for this shall be your fate as well if ever you question me." He held the corpse between two of his fingers and dangled it over my head. A few drops of Theron's blood fell on me while I stood there in terror. Then, he moved the corpse away from me and then he pinched it tightly and squeezed it as if it was nothing but a slice of fruit. I covered my ears while the sound of cracking bones echoed throughout the lair and watched with wide eyes as all of the dead hunter's remaining blood flowed from Aku's hands like a waterfall. What was left of Theron's body was now a mass of flesh and bones with indiscernible features. Aku laughed again and then held Theron's remains in his palm once more. He opened his eyes wide and then zapped the mass of flesh with his eyebeams, leaving a pile of ashes behind. He smiled at me again and then blew on the ashes so they flew around the lair and some of them landed on my head like snow. I cringed slightly, uncertain how I was supposed to react. And yes, I was _scared_. I had every damn right to be scared that Aku planned to do the same thing to me. "Do you understand me?" he rumbled.  
  
"Y-yes. Yes, my lord," I sputtered.  
  
"Good," Aku replied, setting me down in front of his throne. "I have decided to let you join my team of elite hunters. Granted, Theron was overly easy to kill, but you proved your skills well enough. I am also certain that what skills you do not currently possess, you will be able to learn."  
  
My heart skipped a beat at these words and then it started pounding violently. Not only had Lord Aku decided to spare me, but he had accepted me! I breathed a sigh of relief and bowed respectfully. "Thank you, my lord. I swear that I will serve you faithfully in my years to come."  
  
He smiled thoughtfully, "I have no doubt, Leiko. You are at such an age when you have acquired many skills, but you still have room to grow." He turned into a serpent and coiled himself around my shoulders while I tried to keep myself from falling over! The transformation was so perfect that his skin had taken on the cold and scaly texture of a snake. "And I hope you _will _grow," he hissed. "With any luck, you will sssssssstill be alive and well when Ojoku reemergessssss. You will be quite an assssssssset to me then, I am ccccccccertain." Damn, my impression of him sucks! But you should get the picture. Like I said, he was a snake at the time.  
  
Anyway, I wanted to get him the hell off me. It was really creepy. He looked like he was waiting for me to say something, so I stuttered, "I-I-I'll do the b-b-best I c-c-can, my l-lord." Managing to finally regain some composure, I asked, "What is this 'Ojoku' thing you were talkin' about?"   
  
Upon my saying this, Lord Aku instantly dissolved into a swirling black mass and then reemerged on his throne again. "Ojoku is something I overlooked many years ago, about the same time that dagger you hold was crafted."  
  
Well, he hadn't told me anything about the dagger at the time, but I could tell it was old. Damn old. "That long ago?"   
  
"Yes," Aku replied. "Ojoku was the one being that had the potential to destroy me. I was unable to put an end to it at the time, but I _knew _that I would have to deal with it eventually, thus I made it so that I could deal with the problem at a much later time. The time when Ojoku will return is slightly less than twenty years away and I am _still _uncertain as to what I need to do. That is why I need the assistance of faithful servants like you."  
  
I wasn't quite able to figure out what he was saying. I mean, I thought that Lord Aku was completely invincible, but there was this Ojoku...thing that I thought might be a person since he had called it a "being." And what the hell was something from that long ago going to be doing in twenty years time? Did that mean that Ojoku was going to be _old?_ "What are you talking about?" I finally asked.  
  
"It does not concern you at this time and I have said everything about Ojoku that I am willing to at the moment. I think I shall leave you with a couple of my minions for now." He leaned back in his throne and yelled, "Ruuuuuuuuuuuuune! Little Minion! Come here..._NOW!_"  
  
A woman wearing long, purple dress that fit pretty tight, purple gloves, and tall purple boots ran into the room. She smiled and bowed to Aku, her long brown hair, which had a couple of purple streaks in it, falling in front of her face. A woman wearing a tight, short red dress and high-heeled boots flew in after that. Really, she _flew _in 'cause she had bat wings. She had little red horns, too, that were sticking out of her fiery red hair. Quite an interesting sight. Anyway, she bowed to Lord Aku as well.  
  
"What is your bidding, master?" the one in red purred.  
  
"Does it involve whipped cream?" the other asked.  
  
"Unfortunately, my dear minions, this task does not involve anything like that."  
  
"DAMN!" was all both of the minions had to say.  
  
"Perhaps later," Aku said, winking. Gesturing to me, he said, "But for right now, I wish for you to show Leiko..."  
  
"Don't tell me we've got more competition!" the horned minion growled.  
  
"Not unless the two of you wish to be bounty hunters."  
  
"Um...no."  
  
"As I was saying," he loudly roared, "I wish for you to show her to an empty sleeping chamber and please make her feel welcome."  
  
The two minions exchanged sly grins and nodded.  
  
"We shall do as you ask, Aku," the minion in purple said. "Come, Leiko, let's get going." Shs hesitantly turned to the other minion and asked, "Err, you have the keys, right, Little Minion?"  
  
Little Minion nodded, "Of course, Rune." She reached into her dress -- which, I remind you, was _damn _tight! -- and pulled out an iron circle strung with keys.  
  
"How the hell did you get those in there?" I asked.  
  
"You don't wanna know," Rune mumbled.  
  
We started down a dark corridor that was across from Aku's throne. The walls were stone and lit up with torches. Finally, Aku's Little Minion stopped at one of the doors that lined the hallway and took out a key. "I think this one'll do. I just hope I find the right key..." She fumbled with the key ring and tried several keys in the door's lock while Rune and I impatiently watched, tapping our feet. Finally, it opened. "The 37th time's the charm!" Little Minion said. Rune and I rolled our eyes while we walked into the room.  
  
The place kind of looked like a cave. Really. There weren't any furnishings to speak of, 'cept for a sleeping bag on one of those inflatable mattress things in the floor. "Some sleeping quarters," I mumbled. "There's not even a bed."  
  
"Well, you actually won't be sleeping here very often," Rune explained, "because you'll be on the road hunting. Aku provided you with a sleeping bag instead of a bed so that you can take it with you. Actually, I imagine you'll end up using this room more for storage than anything."  
  
"Hmm, that's surprisingly thoughtful," I said, sitting down on the mattress.  
  
"What do you mean 'surprisingly?'" Little Minion asked.  
  
Damn. What the hell _did _I mean by that? "Well...it's just that some of the things people say about Aku are...unsavory."  
  
"Trust us," Rune said, "Aku is anything _but _unsavory!"  
  
Both minions longingly moaned, "Ohhhhhhhhh, Akuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"  
  
All I managed to say to that was, "Um, OK..."  
  
Little Minion turned to Rune and whispered something to her that made them both giggle. Right when I started getting suspicious, Little Minion said, "The thing is, the only people who have to worry about Aku's are those who oppose him or fail to honor him. If you are faithful to him, he will reward you."  
  
"Yeah," Rune said, "and he really likes it when his employees go the extra mile to show how much they appreciate him."  
  
"Oh? Is there anything in particular I should do?" I asked. Damn. I was such an idiot back then. Questions like that are just asking for trouble, you know.  
  
"How about you let us paint your face?" Little Minion asked.  
  
"Paint it? How?"  
  
"So you look exactly like The Great Aku!"  
  
"Err...will he _like _that?" I asked.  
  
"Of course!" Rune replied. "He loves it when people reproduce his likeness and making yourself _look _like him is even better."  
  
"Well, OK...I really want to get off on the right foot with Aku, so go ahead and paint my face." I was so naïve! I hadn't the faintest idea that what they were doing would change my life forever.  
  
Little Minion took out a makeup kit from her dress and she and Rune began to paint my face while I had my eyes closed. While they worked, they yammered on and on about all kinds of stuff, ranging from idiots on Aku's hit list to what they did with him the previous night, nothing of which that I remember well. Well, OK, so I do remember some of what they said, but I just don't want to repeat it. It's not really important, anyway. What's more important is what I saw when Rune passed me a hand mirror after they finished. They'd painted my face black, given me flame markings around my eyes to reproduce Aku's eyebrows, and even pasted a fake red beard on my chin! It was awful! I screamed and dropped the mirror so hard on the floor that it shattered. Both of the minions laughed hysterically. "This wasn't about pleasing Lord Aku, was it?" I snarled at them.  
  
Little Minion managed to stop laughing long enough to say, "What? Oh, just think of it as...initiation!"  
  
"Aku will probably laugh at me too, right?" I asked.  
  
"Probably. But making Aku laugh is a good thing to do!" Rune replied.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I don't want to be his jester. I want to be taken _seriously_...as a _hunter!_"  
  
"Fine, if you want to be like that, there's a bathroom in the back of the room. Go wash up," Little Minion said. She and Rune exchanged sly glances. "You shouldn't have any problems getting it off." Then, they burst out laughing again.  
  
I grumbled to myself while I walked to the bathroom. That was certainly not how I wanted to start my career as a bounty hunter. I turned on the bathroom light and leaned against the counter, which was made out of jagged gray stone. I yanked the beard off, which actually hurt a bit, but I was too busy being pissed off to really care. There was a washrag and some soap next to the sink, so I started violently rubbing my skin. I got most of it off, but try as I did, I couldn't get the markings around my eyes off. I rubbed so hard that my skin damn near bled. I was almost in tears when I stopped to look at myself in the mirror again.  
  
It was then that I realized that I'd been marked long before the markings appeared on my skin. My only purpose was to serve Aku and to eradicate all those who oppose him. My lonely childhood had left me bitter and drained me of anything that could be called compassion, so I certainly wasn't afraid to kill. Everything in was all training for the position I'd just been given. This was my destiny.  
  
I sighed and turned off the light before I left the room. The two minions were standing outside the door and giggling madly. "Did you have any...problems?" Little Minion sneered.  
  
I looked confidently at her and shook my head. "No. None at all."  
  
"But your _eyes!_" Rune stammered.  
  
"My eyes are as they should be," I replied. I plopped down on my sleeping bag and snarled at them, "Now that you two have had your fun, will you leave me the hell alone?"  
  
"Why isn't she mad about her eyes?" Little Minion mumbled to Rune.  
  
"She probably is but just won't show it," Rune mumbled back.  
  
They didn't know how wrong they were. They were simply unaware of what they made me realize. And I really didn't feel like enlightening them. "I'm awfully tired after that hunt. Just get out of here!" I snapped.  
  
"OK, OK!" Little Minion said. "You bounty hunters are so _touchy! _Well, I'm sure we'll see you around. Have a good time serving Aku!"  
  
"Yeah," Rune replied, "I hope you do as well as you seem to want to."  
  
I didn't say anything in reply. I just glared at them while they left. I sighed, and crawled into my sleeping bag. I wasn't really tired, but it was a good place to just think about what'd happened. Remember, I was just sixteen at the time, so that seemed like a huge step to me.  
  
And really, that's all there is to say about how I got started being a hunter. I admit, it's been hard work, but Lord Aku actually provides just about everything I need, weaponry and the like, because he wants to make sure his elite hunters are the best. He doesn't want his elite hunters to be stupid, either, so he even sent me private tutors so I could learn how to read and stuff since I didn't go to school for very long and it wasn't like my parents cared. Of course, these tutors were all actually prisoners who'd been arrested for failing to honor Lord Aku, but they all realized that helpin' me was a good way to redeem themselves.  
  
Look, I'd really like to talk to you more, especially about what that Ojoku crap was all about, but you kept me waitin' so long that I'd better go and start making preparations for my next assignment. See ya around! That is, if you can find me while I'm on the road.  
  
_[Author's Note: Leiko abruptly got up and left the bar, slamming the doors behind her. I couldn't get over the fact that the last thing she'd said sounded an awful lot like a challenge, and, strangely enough, it was one I was willing to take up. But why? Just what did Leiko mean to me? After all, she was crass and seemed to be completely heartless, and she'd even said herself that she lacked true compassion. I was certain that was an exaggeration, but I wasn't sure I wanted to find out just by how much she was exaggerating!  
  
I saw her drop something on the way out, and, even though I thought better of it, I slowly walked over and picked it up to see what it was. What I found was a plastic, photo ID card. It was marked, "Pit of Hate World Pass: Good for admission to Pit of Hate World through the Employees of Aku Entrance at any time." At the time, I didn't have the faintest idea what Pit of Hate World was, but I figured it was my responsibility to return the card to her. Or at least, that's the reason I gave myself for finding her again.]_   
  
  


* * *

_Thanks to Rune and Aku's Little Minion for letting me borrow them for my story.  
_

* * *


End file.
